Advanced side information creation techniques and framework for Wyner-Ziv video coding

Recently, several distributed video coding (DVC) solutions based on the distributed source coding (DSC) paradigm have appeared in the literature. Wyner-Ziv (WZ) video coding, a particular case of DVC where side information is made available at the decoder, enable to achieve a flexible distribution of the computational complexity between the encoder and decoder, promising to fulfill novel requirements from applications such as video surveillance, sensor networks and mobile camera phones. The quality of the side information at the decoder has a critical role in determining the WZ video coding rate-distortion (RD) performance, notably to raise it to a level as close as possible to the RD performance of standard predictive video coding schemes. Towards this target, efficient motion search algorithms for powerful frame interpolation are much needed at the decoder. In this paper, the RD performance of a Wyner-Ziv video codec is improved by using novel, advanced motion compensated frame interpolation techniques to generate the side information. The development of these type of side information estimators is a difficult problem in WZ video coding, especially because the decoder only has available some reference, decoded frames. Based on the regularization of the motion field, novel side information creation techniques are proposed in this paper along with a new frame interpolation framework able to generate higher quality side information at the decoder. To illustrate the RD performance improvements, this novel side information creation framework has been integrated in a transform domain turbo coding based Wyner-Ziv video codec. Experimental results show that the novel side information creation solution leads to better RD performance than available state-of-the-art side information estimators, with improvements up to 2 dB: moreover, it allows outperforming H.264/AVC Intra by up to 3 dB with a lower encoding complexity.

Seismic resistance of earth construction in Portugal

This paper presents an assessment of the potential seismic performance of new earth construction in Portugal. Results of a parametric study on a properly designed rammed earth construction, considering several strengthening solutions, are presented and discussed. It is concluded that single storey houses can have acceptable seismic performance even in high seismicity areas, provided that the structure is adequately strengthened by reinforced concrete columns and beams. Improvement of the characteristics of the structural material (earth) may be necessary to reduce damage.

O currículo e as necessidades educativas especiais : práticas de adequação curricular no terceiro ciclo

A responsabilidade da construção de uma escola para todos deve ser o grande objectivo de todo e qualquer professor, criando espaços de reflexão conjunta no sentido de serem traçados projectos curriculares diferenciados que dêem resposta a todos os alunos na sua diversidade plural. Assim, a concepção e construção da escola inclusiva implicam mudanças, quer nas atitudes e práticas dos agentes educativos, quer nas estruturas do sistema de ensino ao nível organizacional e da gestão curricular. Neste âmbito, a adequação do currículo às necessidades educativas especiais (NEE) dos alunos torna-se essencial na (re)construção e operacionalização dos diferentes processos curriculares. O trabalho que agora se apresenta foi desenvolvido através de um estudo de caso. Constitui uma tentativa de compreensão das percepções dos professores e das práticas pedagógicas que desenvolvem para efectuar adequações curriculares para alunos com NEE. Centrámo-nos nos professores de um conselho de turma do sétimo ano do terceiro ciclo do ensino básico (3º CEB) que inclui uma aluna com NEE, procurando saber o que pensam sobre o processo de adequação curricular, como o concebem e como o implementam. Como metodologia de recolha dos dados utilizamos as técnicas da entrevista, da análise documental e da observação naturalista. Concluímos que, apesar das dificuldades que expressam e demonstram, os professores assumem a necessidade de implementar adequações curriculares face às NEE dos alunos, como resposta às diferenças e particularidades de cada um, tendo em vista o desenvolvimento de competências essenciais e a conclusão da escolaridade obrigatória. As Adequações Curriculares são percepcionadas como muito vantajosas do ponto de vista da promoção do sucesso educativo para todos os alunos e em particular para os alunos com NEE, proporcionando a estes, acompanhar o currículo mais próximo do que é normal, sentirem-se como “iguais” aos seus colegas, melhorar a sua auto-estima, auto-confiança e motivação ABSTRACT The responsibility of building a school for all must be the ultimate goal of any teacher, creating spaces for joint reflection in order to draw differentiated curricular projects which respond to all students in their plural diversity. Thus, the design and construction of the inclusive school involve changes both in attitudes and practices of the educational agents, and in the structures of the education system regarding the organization and the curriculum management. In this context, the adequacy of the curriculum to students’ special educational needs (SEN) becomes essential in the (re) construction and operationalization of the different curriculum processes. The work now presented was developed through a case study. It attempts to understand the perceptions of teachers and the pedagogical practices they develop to make curricular adjustments for students with SEN. We focused on the teachers of a seventh year class of the third cycle of basic education (3rd CBE) which includes a pupil, a girl, with SEN, trying to find out what they think about the process of adapting the curriculum, how they conceive and implement it. As a methodology of data collection we used different techniques: the interview, the documentary analysis and the naturalistic observation. We concluded that, despite the difficulties that teachers express and demonstrate they assume the need to implement curricular adjustments in relation to pupils with SEN in response to the differences and particularities of each one in order to develop core competencies and to complete compulsory schooling. The Curriculum Adequacies are perceived as very advantageous from the standpoint of promoting educational success for all students and particularly for pupils with SEN, providing the latter the possibility of following the curriculum closer than usual, feeling as "equal" to their schoolmates, improving their self-esteem, self- confidence and motivation.

Aplicação do lean construction no controlo e gestão em processos de produção

O presente trabalho é constituído por uma descrição das metodologias de fabrico de misturas betuminosas a quente, identificação de normas e requisitos a cumprir pelos materiais constituintes para cada tipo de mistura e sua função. Os princípios Lean definiram a lógica de trabalho do novo sistema de gestão e controlo de processos na produção de misturas betuminosas na TGA. A filosofia do pensamento Lean tem origem no sistema de produção da Toyota (TPS, Toyota Production System), criado por Taiichi Ohno (1988), os seus resultados foram tão evidentes que iniciou-se um processo de estudo sobre o conceito aplicado. Lean Thinking, (“pensamento magro“), foi utilizado pela primeira vez por James Womack e Daniel Jones em 1996 como conceito de liderança e gestão empresarial, sendo desde então aplicado este termo mundialmente como filosofia de gestão baseada na criação de valoratravés de eliminação do desperdício. Lean Construction utiliza os princípios Lean e aplica à construção civil, pode ser definida como uma forma de organizar a produção minimizando o desperdício de materiais, tempo e esforço. Alcançado através de uma melhoria sistemática de processos de construção, dos métodos de selecção de fornecimento e confiança no trabalho. A Lean Construction está em desenvolvimento em todo o mundo, mas em Portugal não se verifica essa tendência. Foi efectuado um estudo de todas as actividades realizadas no fabrico e controlo de misturas betuminosas, permitindo identificar desperdícios e aplicar medidas de eficiência produtiva. Analise e apresentação de resultados obtidos com a aplicação dos novos processos de gestão, controlo e produção nos centros de produção. Este trabalho demonstra que a introdução da filosofia Lean permite aumentar níveis de eficiência tornando a empresa mais competitiva.

Technology for creativity and innovation: tools, techniques and applications

It is widely accepted that organizations and individuals must be innovative and continually create new knowledge and ideas to deal with rapid change. Innovation plays an important role in not only the development of new business, process and products, but also in competitiveness and success of any organization. Technology for Creativity and Innovation: Tools, Techniques and Applications provides empirical research findings and best practices on creativity and innovation in business, organizational, and social environments. It is written for educators, academics and professionals who want to improve their understanding of creativity and innovation as well as the role technology has in shaping this discipline.

Relatório de estágio. Terapia manual ortopédica

Objectivo: Descrever a intervenção em fisioterapia aplicada num paciente com o diagnóstico de entorse da Tíbio-társica de grau III. Participantes e Métodos: Paciente que em 1 de Dezembro de 2009 na sequência de uma disputa de bola, sofreu uma entorse da tíbio-társica. Iniciou fisioterapia a 4 de Janeiro de 2010, tendo sido utilizadas para o tratamento técnicas de Mulligan, nomeadamente MWM, mobilização articular, reforço muscular e treino proprioceptivo. O tratamento foi realizado diariamente durante 6 semanas. Resultados: Após a aplicação das técnicas de Mulligan MWM na 1ªsemana, o perónio encontra-se devidamente reposicionado, no entanto o calcâneo ainda se encontra posteriorizado. No fim da 2ªsemana, a amplitude articular aumentou significativamente, aproximando-se dos valores do membro contralateral, verificouse um ganho de força muscular progressivo. Na 3ª e 4ª semana progrediu-se o tratamento em termos de fortalecimento muscular e treino proprioceptivo. Na 5ª semana apresentava amplitudes de movimento de 17º de dorsiflexão, 43º de flexãoplantar, 15º de eversão e 18º de inversão. Relativamente à força, o músculo tibial anterior apresentava um grau 5 de força, longo e curto peronial e flexores plantares grau 4+. No fim de 6 semanas, terminada a sua recuperação encontrava-se sem qualquer limitação funcional, igual força muscular bilateral e proprioceptividade normal. Conclusão: Foi salientado o processo de raciocínio clínico desenvolvido pelo fisioterapeuta ao longo das 6 semanas de intervenção: a recolha e interpretação dos dados da história, levantamento das primeiras hipóteses, testes dessas hipóteses no exame objectivo, estabelecimento de um diagnóstico funcional e construção e implementação de um plano de intervenção com a colaboração do utente que permitiram uma recuperação funcional que foi de encontro aos objectivos traçados.

Data mining techniques contributions to support electrical vehicle demand response

The introduction of Electric Vehicles (EVs) together with the implementation of smart grids will raise new challenges to power system operators. This paper proposes a demand response program for electric vehicle users which provides the network operator with another useful resource that consists in reducing vehicles charging necessities. This demand response program enables vehicle users to get some profit by agreeing to reduce their travel necessities and minimum battery level requirements on a given period. To support network operator actions, the amount of demand response usage can be estimated using data mining techniques applied to a database containing a large set of operation scenarios. The paper includes a case study based on simulated operation scenarios that consider different operation conditions, e.g. available renewable generation, and considering a diversity of distributed resources and electric vehicles with vehicle-to-grid capacity and demand response capacity in a 33 bus distribution network.

Identification of tsunami-induced deposits using numerical modeling and rock magnetism techniques: Astudy case of the 1755 Lisbon tsunami in Algarve, Portugal (vol 182, pg 187, 2010)

Storm- and tsunami-deposits are generated by similar depositional mechanisms making their discrimination hard to establish using classic sedimentologic methods. Here we propose an original approach to identify tsunami-induced deposits by combining numerical simulation and rock magnetism. To test our method, we investigate the tsunami deposit of the Boca do Rio estuary generated by the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon which is well described in the literature. We first test the 1755 tsunami scenario using a numerical inundation model to provide physical parameters for the tsunami wave. Then we use concentration (MS. SIRM) and grain size (chi(ARM), ARM, B1/2, ARM/SIRM) sensitive magnetic proxies coupled with SEM microscopy to unravel the magnetic mineralogy of the tsunami-induced deposit and its associated depositional mechanisms. In order to study the connection between the tsunami deposit and the different sedimentologic units present in the estuary, magnetic data were processed by multivariate statistical analyses. Our numerical simulation show a large inundation of the estuary with flow depths varying from 0.5 to 6 m and run up of similar to 7 m. Magnetic data show a dominance of paramagnetic minerals (quartz) mixed with lesser amount of ferromagnetic minerals, namely titanomagnetite and titanohematite both of a detrital origin and reworked from the underlying units. Multivariate statistical analyses indicate a better connection between the tsunami-induced deposit and a mixture of Units C and D. All these results point to a scenario where the energy released by the tsunami wave was strong enough to overtop and erode important amount of sand from the littoral dune and mixed it with reworked materials from underlying layers at least 1 m in depth. The method tested here represents an original and promising tool to identify tsunami-induced deposits in similar embayed beach environments.

Data mining techniques to support the classification of MV electricity customers

This paper describes a methodology that was developed for the classification of Medium Voltage (MV) electricity customers. Starting from a sample of data bases, resulting from a monitoring campaign, Data Mining (DM) techniques are used in order to discover a set of a MV consumer typical load profile and, therefore, to extract knowledge regarding to the electric energy consumption patterns. In first stage, it was applied several hierarchical clustering algorithms and compared the clustering performance among them using adequacy measures. In second stage, a classification model was developed in order to allow classifying new consumers in one of the obtained clusters that had resulted from the previously process. Finally, the interpretation of the discovered knowledge are presented and discussed.

Natural gas system operation: lagrangean optimization techniques

To comply with natural gas demand growth patterns and Europe´s import dependency, the gas industry needs to organize an efficient upstream infrastructure. The best location of Gas Supply Units – GSUs and the alternative transportation mode – by phisical or virtual pipelines, are the key of a successful industry. In this work we study the optimal location of GSUs, as well as determining the most efficient allocation from gas loads to sources, selecting the best transportation mode, observing specific technical restrictions and minimizing system total costs. For the location of GSUs on system we use the P-median problem, for assigning gas demands nodes to source facilities we use the classical transportation problem. The developed model is an optimisation-based approach, based on a Lagrangean heuristic, using Lagrangean relaxation for P-median problems – Simple Lagrangean Heuristic. The solution of this heuristic can be improved by adding a local search procedure - the Lagrangean Reallocation Heuristic. These two heuristics, Simple Lagrangean and Lagrangean Reallocation, were tested on a realistic network - the primary Iberian natural gas network, organized with 65 nodes, connected by physical and virtual pipelines. Computational results are presented for both approaches, showing the location gas sources and allocation loads arrangement, system total costs and gas transportation mode.

Using data mining techniques to support DR programs definition in smart grids

In recent years, Power Systems (PS) have experimented many changes in their operation. The introduction of new players managing Distributed Generation (DG) units, and the existence of new Demand Response (DR) programs make the control of the system a more complex problem and allow a more flexible management. An intelligent resource management in the context of smart grids is of huge important so that smart grids functions are assured. This paper proposes a new methodology to support system operators and/or Virtual Power Players (VPPs) to determine effective and efficient DR programs that can be put into practice. This method is based on the use of data mining techniques applied to a database which is obtained for a large set of operation scenarios. The paper includes a case study based on 27,000 scenarios considering a diversity of distributed resources in a 32 bus distribution network.

O fim de um ciclo? A coconstrução da articulação curricular entre o 1.º e o 2.º Ciclos do Ensino Básico

Dissertação Apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ciências da Educação - Especialidade Supervisão em Educação

Demand response programs definition supported by clustering and classification techniques

The growing importance and influence of new resources connected to the power systems has caused many changes in their operation. Environmental policies and several well know advantages have been made renewable based energy resources largely disseminated. These resources, including Distributed Generation (DG), are being connected to lower voltage levels where Demand Response (DR) must be considered too. These changes increase the complexity of the system operation due to both new operational constraints and amounts of data to be processed. Virtual Power Players (VPP) are entities able to manage these resources. Addressing these issues, this paper proposes a methodology to support VPP actions when these act as a Curtailment Service Provider (CSP) that provides DR capacity to a DR program declared by the Independent System Operator (ISO) or by the VPP itself. The amount of DR capacity that the CSP can assure is determined using data mining techniques applied to a database which is obtained for a large set of operation scenarios. The paper includes a case study based on 27,000 scenarios considering a diversity of distributed resources in a 33 bus distribution network.

Inclusão e práticas de diferenciação curricular nos cursos de educação e formação

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ciências da Educação, especialidade em Educação Especial, ramo de Problemas de Cognição e Multideficiência

Optimization techniques for power distribution planning with uncertainties: a comparative study

Important research effort has been devoted to the topic of optimal planning of distribution systems. The non linear nature of the system, the need to consider a large number of scenarios and the increasing necessity to deal with uncertainties make optimal planning in distribution systems a difficult task. Heuristic techniques approaches have been proposed to deal with these issues, overcoming some of the inherent difficulties of classic methodologies. This paper considers several methodologies used to address planning problems of electrical power distribution networks, namely mixedinteger linear programming (MILP), ant colony algorithms (AC), genetic algorithms (GA), tabu search (TS), branch exchange (BE), simulated annealing (SA) and the Bender´s decomposition deterministic non-linear optimization technique (BD). Adequacy of theses techniques to deal with uncertainties is discussed. The behaviour of each optimization technique is compared from the point of view of the obtained solution and of the methodology performance. The paper presents results of the application of these optimization techniques to a real case of a 10-kV electrical distribution system with 201 nodes that feeds an urban area.